


What strange creatures brothers are!

by itemfinder



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 10:29:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/608849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itemfinder/pseuds/itemfinder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A few glimpses into Mycroft's side of A Study In Pink.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What strange creatures brothers are!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [scandiaca](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=scandiaca).



> Written for scandiaca@tumblr for Sherlock Secret Santa 2012.

It started with a text -- but, then again, what _didn't_ in this day and age? Sherlock, nothing more than 'Piss off. SH' which was not, in and of itself, a surprise. Mycroft had been pressuring Sherlock for information for a few weeks now -- he knew that his brother was on the verge of losing his current residence and they had previously agreed (albeit reluctantly) that Sherlock was to accept help from Mycroft rather than spend time on the streets. Again.

This text was in response to Mycroft's most recent request for information, and was only strange in that it existed at all. Sherlock had been stubbornly refusing to respond to any attempt at communication Mycroft made, so that he should suddenly decide to text was... odd, but not yet worrying. Mycroft had hardly set aside his phone before a stack of papers was deposited on his desk. A quick glance told him enough of the particulars to know that Sherlock had apparently found someone willing enough to consider living with him, one John Watson. He sent the waiting attendant off to find more information and paged through what he already had. Injured, formerly a soldier, nominally a doctor, seeking employment (if in a rather half-hearted sense), and under the care of a very thorough psychiatrist; John Watson seemed at least a marginal prospect, as far as potential flatmates went.

None of this meant Sherlock would be able to talk the man into agreeing to stay, nor that John would be interested in any kind of longer-term arrangement, so Mycroft set aside the situation in favor of more pressing concerns. It merited monitoring, but not yet any sort of action on Mycroft's part.

* * *

Finding out that John Watson had accompanied Sherlock to a crime scene came quick on the heels of news that they had just agreed to move into 221 Baker Street -- his contacts were well acquainted with following Sherlock on his investigations, but not as experienced in checking in on his real estate decisions. Mycroft had already been in the process of setting up a meeting, and simply adjusted his plans to include picking John up on his way away from Lauriston Gardens. Sherlock would be distracted by the case, at least for a short time, and if John was to be involved in Sherlock's life in a larger sense than simply a flatmate, the need to speak with him was even more pressing.

His psychiatrist's description of John as a man reeling from his experience at war was at odds with the fact that John would willingly go to a crime scene with a man he had only just met, particularly since Sherlock was unlikely to have actively coerced his attendance. Sherlock loathed a distraction nearly as much as he did anything else (save, perhaps, boredom), so there must have been some greater purpose to his inviting the former army doctor along.

In any case, Mycroft was looking forward to meeting Doctor John Watson and coming to his own conclusions -- there were a number of possible outcomes, most of which could prove very beneficial to him, if not them both.

* * *

The attempt at bribery had yielded much more interesting results than expected. John's stubbornness would be very beneficial if he continued to associate himself with Sherlock, as would his apparently strong sense of right and wrong. Although Mycroft would hardly disagree with further information as to his brother's well being, it was possible that this arrangement would actually serve him even better. If John were to take Sherlock under his own umbrella of protection, Mycroft could count on someone else having Sherlock's concerns in mind. It all assumed that John would both live up to initial impressions and remain despite Sherlock's often impossible company, but Mycroft felt secure enough in the assumption.

That John went nearly directly back to Sherlock was interesting, particularly since Sherlock had clearly been texting John while he was there. It was very quick for such a level of communication to have developed, but nothing about this was proceeding with any sort of normality. Mycroft was satisfied enough with the information he had gleaned to let things continue on without any more intervention, for now.

* * *

The remainder of that day seemed to play directly to Mycroft's expectations, particularly when John proved so willing to step forward in Sherlock's defense. The case itself was unnecessary -- the police would have been able to handle it, even without Sherlock's intervention, and his time could be better utilized in any of a dozen different ways -- but that both of them seemed committed to the same goal was somewhat reassuring. Particularly since Doctor Watson seemed to have added protecting Sherlock to his own priority list.

If nothing else, it should prove to keep his brother somewhat occupied which would, with any luck at all, make Mycroft's life somewhat easier. Or make everything much more difficult, but that was always a possibility when dealing with Sherlock Holmes.


End file.
